Glenn says Cowboys are keeping him out of team workouts

IRVING -- Wide receiver Terry Glenn did not participate in the team's OTA workouts this week, but it wasn't because of an ongoing problem with a right knee injury that caused him to miss 15 games last season.

Glenn has been work out vigorously throughout the off-season. He showed up Tuesday for team meetings and planned on joining his teammates for workouts this week.

However, he was held out of workouts by the Cowboys.

Glenn, who will be 34 on July 23 and has grown sensitive to the uncertainty surrounding his status, communicated his point of view via a series of text messages late Thursday night.

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"Let's just say I showed up Tuesday for meetings and...," Glenn said. "Ur gonna have to do the math. I'm not going against management in the media. But I want people to know I'm not practicing, not by my choice."

Glenn declined to get into specifics about his injured right knee. He endured two arthroscopic surgeries on the knee last season in hopes of getting back in time for a Cowboys playoff run.

According to the Cowboys medical staff, Glenn needs microfracture surgery to fully repair the injury. Because microfracture surgery would cause him to miss the entire 2008 season and thus put his career in jeopardy, Glenn opted against it. It is his hope that strengthening his hamstring and quad through vigorous rehab will return him to the field on a full-time basis next season.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones agreed that Glenn was healthy enough to participate in the OTAs this week. And he said that Glenn will be out on the field real soon. Jones said it's important that Glenn get reps with quarterback Tony Romo and be around to help tutor the team's young receivers.

But he said there was no reason to push him out there this week. The Cowboys know what he can do and they are trying to give the young receivers as much work as possible.

Even when Glenn does return, Jones said the Cowboys are going to be extremely cautious with him because there is no need for him to try to "win a Super Bowl in practice" or "training camp".

Jones however said that his caution should not be construed as anything negative regarding Glenn's prognosis for 2008. He said Glenn has looked so good that he's starting to get optimistic about him filling the need of a speedy No. 2 receiver to play opposite Pro Bowl receiver Terrell Owens.

"I'm really encouraged by the way Terry Glenn is practicing, and his strength," Jones said. "In my mind, there isn't a player out there in a given game or looking at next year that could make a bigger impact to take some of the heat off of Terrell than Terry Glenn."

Glenn echoed Jones sentiments about his status.

"What Jerry Jones said is correct!" exclaimed Glenn in a text message.

Jones said at the beginning of the off-season that the Cowboys needed to add a "wow" player on offense. The Cowboys respected the job Patrick Crayton did in Glenn's absence last season, catching 50 passes for 697 yards and seven touchdowns last season. But they believe he is best as a third-down receiver. The team expressed interest in trading for Detroit's Roy Williams, Cincinnati's Chad Johnson or Arizona's Anquan Boldin, but was rebuffed.

Now it appears their best option might the original one -- Glenn.

He tallied 1,000 yards receiving in 2005 and 2006 before being injured last season.

Quarterback Tony Romo is a believer that Glenn can be the answer for them again.

"I think Terry Glenn is going to surprise a lot of you guys," Romo said. "He's probably the one player that I think could. If the guy's healthy, he is going to play and play a lot. He's taken the approach he's going to get healthy and when he does, he will get back on the field. I assume, and I think he does too, that he will be fine come training camp.

“I think he will surprise from the level of play that he will play at."